Centenary Flags to Mark the Ending of World War One

On the 11th November 1918 the Armistice was signed with Germany, bringing to an end World War One – a conflict in which an estimated eight million civilians and 25 million servicemen died.

Three hundred and ninety two people from our village served in World War One and Eleanor Whitehead of the Village Society has identified the 35 roads in Histon and Impington where these individuals lived. During the week before Remembrance Sunday, Remembrance Flags will be flown in these streets.

The Art Department at Impington Village College has designed and manufactured the flags, led by Alison Elmslie, Lead Practitioner for Visual Arts and Emily Pierce, Art Technician at the college. During the design activity, the students and teachers thought about the ‘Ode of Remembrance’ which is an extract from Laurence Binyon’s 1914 poem ‘For the Fallen’ which was written in response to the heavy losses of the British Expeditionary Forces at the Battle of Mons and the Battle of the Marne The lines that relate to the setting sun – At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them – inspired Alison and her team. Alison said “This made me think of the poppy motif and from that point on the words and images came together – the flag essentially designed itself”.

The students and other teachers then screen-printed the flags. Others involved in this project were Eleanor Whitehead, Cedric Foster, Dan Mace and the people who have agreed to fly the flags.

So keep an eye out for the flags around the village during Remembrance Week. Can you spot all 35?